Stranger Than Heaven director says the game's combat was inspired by old 'Ninkyo' Yakuza movies because the 'raw and gritty' action scenes fit Daito's character as an inexperienced fighter — 'We felt that atmosphere was what made those genres special'

Stranger Than Heaven's director, Mikinobu Abe, revealed that the game's combat system was inspired by classic Ninkyo yakuza movies. The action scenes in those films were raw and gritty, perfectly capturing the desired atmosphere for the game. Abe explained that RGG Studios aimed to immerse players in the intense, "kill or be killed" struggle by taking inspiration from movies like New Battles Without Honor and Humanity.

This raw, unrefined style of action was crucial to the game's atmosphere. Additionally, this gritty combat system influenced the character of Makoto Daito, who starts as an inexperienced fighter and gradually becomes more skilled as the player progresses. The team wanted the combat to feel intuitive and intuitive, allowing players to truly feel in control of Daito's character development throughout the game.

Stranger Than Heaven is set to release on January 15, 2027, for PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC.